Here’s a thought: Store records so they’re easy to find

The sanitary district has operated for ten years. It has the authority to levy property taxes, and does.

Campton Hills village president Patsy Smith asked for the normal documents you’d want if you were taking on such an obligation:

Copies of state and county permits to operate a wastewater facility

A list of the district’s employees and consultants.

Financial records, meeting agendas and minutes for five years.

In response, the Wasco Sanitary District and its attorney are acting as if Patsy Smith has committed a nearly inconceivable atrocity by asking for these documents. The request is “voluminous”. The request is “very broad”. The request will engender “a great expense”.

Wouldn’t you be embarrassed to say all those things, if you were representing the Wasco Sanitary District?

Why don’t they have those documents stored and ordered in such a way that it is perfectly easy to find them?

It’s not Patsy Smith’s fault that the sanitary district has apparently kept its records in such a way that they are unable to fulfill this open records request in a professional, timely manner.

2 responses to “Here’s a thought: Store records so they’re easy to find”

The real irony behind this story is that the District’s attorney (and Board Secretary) keeps ALL his documents electronically. He refused to supply the Board’s meeting minutes in electronic form because they might contain privleged attorney-client information.